Tonbridge 3 Enfield Town 0

Match 90/16/1397 - Tuesday, 14th February 2017 - Ryman Premier

Tonbridge (1) 3 Elder 17, Allen 51, Parter 75
Enfield Town (0) 0
Attendance: 304

Entrance: £6 Senior
Programme: £2.50
Mileage: 38/6,299

Match Report

Christmas is but a distant memory. One point over the festive period left many of us wondering if our race had been run. The likes of Bognor, Havant and even Needham Market seemed to be disappearing over the horizon. But one defeat in nine since the turn of the year and a few wobbles from the aforementioned has seen Tonbridge inch their way back into the play-off places with the top three no longer out of sight.

Players coming back to fitness, a midfield formation that is looking both strong and creative all adds to the optimism.

Enfield arrived in town with play-off ambitions of their own and for 15 minutes this didn't look like a game that would have its eventual outcome with Harry Ottaway testing Anthony Di Bernardo with a header.

The visitors were caught cold after 17 minutes when they failed to react to a short corner to Tom Phipp whose inch perfect cross was met with a powerful header from Nathan Elder that crashed back from the stanchion causing a bizarre minute in which it was questioned whether the ball had crossed the line. Elder received a cut to the head for his trouble and returned to the action swathed in a bandage.

Enfield continued to be a threat, Ottaway drove a cross across the face of goal when it was probably better to have shot and when Mitchell Nelson misheadsed back towards his own goal, Di Bernardo was bundled into the net after catching the ball by Harold Joseph.

The second period opened with a fine run, what turned out to be a foretaste, from Jack Parter that ended with a pass to Elder whose shot was blocked.

The traffic had now become very much one way, Phipp curled a shot over before Tonbridge created a goal of beauty after 51 minutes. Phipp and Luke Blewden combined before a pass to the left wing to Luke Allen who curled in a wonderful shot (I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt that it wasn't a cross) to the far post where it nestled in the corner.

After 75 minutes, Parter replicated his marauding down the left, after a challenge on Akrofi, the ball rebounded to Parter who slotted home.

Picture: Wesley Filtness

Pictures: David Couldridge